학술논문
Cardiovascular testing recovery in Latin America one year into the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of data from an international longitudinal survey
Document Type
article
Author
Luca Bremner; Joao Vitola; Rodrigo Cerci; Roxana Campisi; Raúl Araujo Ríos; Teresa Massardo; Claudia Gutierrez-Villamil; Felix Solis; Amalia Peix; Herwin Speckter; Mayra Sanchez Velez; Ana Camila Flores; Ernest Madu; Erick Alexánderson-Rosas; José Ortellado; Rosanna Morales; Fernando Mut; Luisa Vera; Cole B. Hirschfeld; Leslee J. Shaw; Michelle C. Williams; Todd C. Villines; Nathan Better; Sharmila Dorbala; Ganesan Karthikeyan; Eli Malkovskiy; Yosef A. Cohen; Michael Randazzo; Thomas N.B. Pascual; Yaroslav Pynda; Maurizio Dondi; Diana Paez; Andrew J. Einstein
Source
International Journal of Cardiology: Heart & Vasculature, Vol 52, Iss , Pp 101404- (2024)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2352-9067
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted Latin America (LATAM), significantly disrupting cardiovascular testing. This study evaluated cardiac procedure recovery in LATAM one year after the outbreak. Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) surveyed 669 centers in 107 countries worldwide, including 135 facilities in 19 LATAM countries, to assess cardiovascular procedure volumes in March 2019, April 2020, and April 2021, and changes in center practices and staffing conditions one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: LATAM centers reported a 21 % decrease in procedure volumes in April 2021 from pre-pandemic-baseline, vs. a 0 % change in the rest of the world (RoW), and greater volume reductions for almost all procedure types. Centers in Central America and Mexico reported the largest procedure reductions (47 % reduction) compared to the Caribbean (15 %), and South America (14 %, p = 0.01), and this LATAM region was a significant predictor of lower procedure recovery in multivariable regression. More LATAM centers reported reduced salaries and increased layoffs of clinical staff compared to RoW, and LATAM respondents estimated that half of physician and non-physician staff experienced excess psychological stress related to the pandemic, compared to 25 % and 30 % in RoW (p